Lights blinking

[Holly_Hobby]

Our lights will quickly blink on and off several times/day. The furnace isn't running or the compressor on the frig isn't running when they blink. We have 100 amp service in our house that was built in 1959. We still have fuses, not circuit breakers. The house was inspected 3 years ago by an electrician installing a new outlet and all was fine.

Any ideas? Thanks!

[NMDemDist2]

1. electric hot water heater??

and is yours the only house on the block that's doing it ??

if yes and yes then the water heater is suspect

if no and no, somebody has something that's taking a big load :shrug:

[Holly_Hobby]

2. We have a gas hot water heater

So should I call the electric company? Thanks so much.

[NMDemDist2]

3. 100 amps is pretty small for a whole house these days

but a call to the Elec Co isn't a bad idea

[Holly_Hobby]

5. Our house is 720 sf

Very small 2 bedroom house. We have only one small window A/C and not a whole lot of electronic "toys". There's just me and my husband we're careful not to use the blow dryer and the sweeper (I lived in a house trailer during my younger years and always blew fuses so I know better).

Also, we never blow any fuses.

I'll call the elec. co. on Monday.

[NMDemDist2]

7. i have a mobile home twice that size (almost) and am using 100 amps too

don't pop breakers either and we have lots of toys ;)

but our A/C has it's own power outside the house.

I think Warpy is on to it!

[Warpy]

4. Does this happen in every room at the same time?

If this is the case, then the problem is the line coming into the house having a connection that's worked loose, either on the pole or at the meter. Every time the wind blows or a bird lands on the wire or takes off, your lights blink.

Lights blinking on and off in only one or two rooms at a time is a different problem, and that means you'll need to get your wiring checked. This isn't anything that can be ignored.

In any case, you need an electrician. It would also be a good idea to update your board to a circuit board rather than that fuse box. Circuit breakers react more quickly than fuses do and can save your house from burning down.

[Holly_Hobby]

6. It happens in every room at the same time

I'll have the elec. co. check the connection and get estimates on an updated box. Although, the electrician that inspected our wiring 3 years ago said it was very well done with heavier gauge wiring than normally found in residential housing. He recommended upgrading anyway, but we didn't have the money at the time.

Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm letting my husband read this thread so he takes it seriously.

[Warpy]

8. thanks. It sounds like a supply problem, not a problem within

the house. That's a little less scary, but the next big storm could knock it out completely.

[randr]

9. Do you have to reset digital clocks?